How To > Patterns > AGSAS Soldiers Sock Pattern

Atlantic Guard Soldiers’ Aid Society

"Directions for Knitting Socks" from the United States Sanitary Commission Bulletin, Volume I, Number 31, February 1, 1865, p. 963

Modern Interpretation for Intermediate Knitters

Yarn: 5 ounces 3/8 Jagger Spun yarn (1490 yards per pound). Contrasting heels and toes: 3 ounces of contrast color.

Needles: Use a set of five American size 1 needles (2.25 mm) or size to make gauge.
If you prefer to knit with four double point needles, one circular or two circulars, adjust these instructions accordingly

Gauge: 9 stitches to the inch, or change your needle size to achieve this gauge. Vertical gauge: 11 rows per inch.

I Never Swatch, Why Swatch now? Socks have to be large enough to fit comfortably, but small enough that there isn’t extra sock bunching up inside the wearer’s shoe. It is wise to do a four- inch square swatch to make sure that your choice of needles and yarn can achieve the proper gauge. Some people knit more tightly than others, and after making your swatch, some will want to use size 0 (2.0 mm) needles to make denser socks.

What Size Will Fit?

Knitters who donated socks didn’t know the size of the wearer’s leg, and fit would be more approximate. Just pick a size and knit the socks using those directions.

However, if you are knitting these socks for a particular person to wear, you want them to fit well. Two measurements are crucial: a) how big around to make the leg and b) how long to make the foot. Start with these two measurements for the person who will be wearing your socks.

19th Century Sizes
Some people believe “people were smaller then” – but the average height of soldiers in the Civil War was 5’ 8” – most wearers will fit into the size feet included in this pattern. What has changed is that some modern people weigh much more than Civil War soldiers did – so you may have to make the sock legs a little larger around.

Leg Size: We tried on socks made to each size to see how large a leg they could comfortably fit. The “small size” can stretch to snugly fit a leg that is up to 13 inches around. The “medium” will fit a leg that is up to 14 inches around, and the “large” will fit a leg that is up to 15 inches around. If the person who will be wearing the socks has a calf that is bigger than 15 inches around, you may want to adjust accordingly (see below).

How many stitches to cast on for a good fit in the leg:
Measure from the floor up the wearer’s leg 13 inches. Using a tape measure, measure how big around the leg is at this point (circumference).

Multiply this number by your stitches per inch (from your gauge swatch).
Subtract 30%. Your new total is the number of stitches to cast on.

Foot Size: The original pattern provides instructions for making three sizes: small (10 inch foot); medium (11 inch foot); and large (12 inch foot). We have included these choices in the pattern – throughout the pattern, when you see three notations for a given measure, the first number will be for the small size, the second for the medium and the third for the large size. \

If the wearer has a foot that is smaller than 10 inches long or larger than 12 inches long, you’ll need to alter the length of your sock. Either have the wearer stand on a ruler to give you the exact length, or make a tracing of his or her foot and use that to measure.

Ribbing: I find it helpful to use four double points to hold my stitches, using a fifth as my working needle. If you prefer to use three double points to hold the stitches and work with the fourth, or like to make socks with circular needles, adjust the pattern accordingly.

If you are using four needles to hold the work (with a fifth needle for knitting), divide your work as follows:
Cast on 65: 16 stitches on three needles, with 17 stitches on the fourth.
Cast on 70:18 stitches on three needles, with 16 stitches on the fourth.
Cast on 75: 19 stitches on three needles, with 18 on the fourth.

Make your ribbing using either a) knit one, purl one or b) knit two, purl two. If you cast on an odd number of stitches, be careful to remember this when you get back to the starting place, so that your ribbing will line up. It’s helpful to split your work so that you begin each new needle with a knit stitch.. Some people keep the tail of their cast on as a marker for the beginning of a new row – or you might want to add a knitting marker at the beginning of the row, so that you remember where it is. Continue this pattern until your ribbing is 3 ½ inches long.

Leg: Once you have completed the ribbing, begin to knit the sock leg in stockinette stitch (knit all the stitches), making the first stitch on one needle a purl stitch, so that you are forming your “seam stitch” down the back of the sock leg. The seam stitch won’t show very much on the outside of your sock, but you’ll clearly be able to see it when you look inside your sock leg on the wrong side of the knitting.

Keep knitting the same way until your sock leg is 6 ½ inches long (if you prefer to measure from the very beginning of your work, the ribbing and the sock leg should together measure 10 inches). Once you have completed the sock leg, it is time to begin the heel flap.

Heel Flap: Making the heel is the part of the sock which has the most mythology about it. Don’t try to understand what is happening – when I first started to knit socks, one of my teachers said “There is a little miracle in the middle of each sock – the turning of the heel. Don’t try to figure it out in your head, just do EXACTLY what the directions tell you to do without thinking about it and at the end you’ll have a heel.” She was so right – I made about 35 pair of socks before I could understand what was happening when I made a heel.

When you make a heel, the first step is to knit a little flap, just like the tongue of a shoe. This flap will fold down around the back of the wearer’s heel and then join to cup the bottom of the heel. To form the heel flap, you will be knitting back and forth on only a few needles, ignoring (for the present), the needles holding the rest of the stitches.

Locate your purl (or seam) stitch. This will be the center of your heel flap. Divide your work onto two halves -- the stitches that will become the heel flap and those that will form the top of the sock foot.

The seam stitch should be in the middle of the heel flap stitches. If you cast on 75 stitches, you should have a heel flap of 37 stitches (18 stitches, the seam stitch in the middle, then 18 more stitches). The remaining 38 stitches on the other two needles are going to form the top of the foot (the instep) but first we’re going to just concentrate on the 37 stitches of the heel flap.

If you cast on 70 stitches, your heel flap will be 35 stitches (17 stitches, the seam stitch in the middle, 17 more stitches). The remaining 35 stitches on the other two needles are going to form the top of the foot (the instep) but first we’re going to just concentrate on the 35 stitches of the heel flap.

If you cast on 65 stitches, your heel flap will be 33 stitches (16 stitches, the seam stitch in the middle, and 16 more stitches). The remaining 32 stitches on the other two needles are going to form the top of the foot (the instep) but first we’re going to just concentrate on the 33 stitches of the heel flap.

If you cast on a different amount, divide the total number of stitches in half (you need to have an odd number, because your seam stitch will be in the middle) and that will be the number of stitches on your heel flap. The remaining stitches on the other two needles are going to form the top of the foot (the instep) but first we’re going to just concentrate on the heel flap stitches.

Slip the stitches for the heel flap on two needles, and the stitches for the top of the sock on two.

If you want Contrasting Color Heels: Some people change colors at this point, others knit an inch or more of their heel flap in the main color before changing to the heel color. It’s up to you when to change, but it’s best to do so at the end of a row, and easiest when you are about to do a right side row (with the right side of the heel flap facing you). If you’re changing colors now, cut off your yarn about 2 inches from the knitting. Loosely tie the first two inches of the new color to your old color yarn. Then choose which of the two heel flaps (see below) and knit on – leave the loose knot for now, when you’re finished with the entire sock, you’ll go back and weave in the ends. We’ll discuss this more at the end.

Choice of Heel Flaps:
This pattern includes a choice of two ways to make a heel flap:

Version A:
Row 1: Slip first stitch from one needle to the other without knitting it (this is called “slpping a stitch”), knit straight across, remembering to purl the seam stitch when you come to it.

Row 2: Slip the first stitch, purl straight across; remembering to knit the seam stitch when you come to it.

Repeat these two rows until your heel flap is three inches in length, and end ready to start a right side row..

Version B:
This version of the heel flap will add durability to your heel and make it last much longer.

Row 1: Slip first stitch from one needle to the other without knitting it (this is called “slpping a stitch”), knit straight across, remembering to purl the seam stitch when you come to it.

Row 2: Slip first stitch, then purl one stitch, then slip the third stitch, and purl the next stitch. Alternate purling and slipping stitches across the heel flap. Knit the seam stitch when you come to it.

Repeat these two rows until your heel flap is three inches in length, and end ready to start a right side row.

Turning the heel: You’re about to turn the heel. At this point, if you maintained your seam stitch through the heel flap, you’re now doing to just knit it as you would any other stitch. It’s done it’s work.

Mentally divide the number of stitches on your heel flap roughly by four.
If your heel flap is 33 stitches, one quarter is 8 stitches.
If your heel flap is 35 stitches, one quarter is 9 stitches.
If your heel flap is 37 stitches, one quarter is 10 stitches.
If your heel flap is any other number, figure out what a quarter of the stitches would be and write it here __________.

Starting with the right side of the heel flap facing you:

If your heel flap is 33 stitches:
Row 1. Slip one, then knit straight across (knit the seam stitch as a regular stitch) until you have 8 stitches still un-knit. Now knit the next two stitches together. There should now be 7 stitches left un-knit. Ignore the un-knit stitches, and flip the entire sock so that the wrong side of the heel flap is facing you.

Row 2: Purl straight across until you have 8 stitches still un-purled. Now purl the next two stitches together. There should now be 7 stitches left un-purled. Ignore the un-purled stitches, and flip the entire sock back so that the right side of the heel flap is facing you again.

Row 3: Look at your knitting. You should be able to clearly see the “gap” that was made by knitting two stitches together in two places on this heel flap. You are now going to continue alternately knitting and purling across, each time knitting or purling together the two stitches on either side of the “gap.”

Knit straight across until you have 7 stitches un-knit. Knit the next two stitches together (one from either side of the “gap”). You should now have 6 stitches left un-knit. Flip the work so that the wrong side of the heel flap is facing you.

Row 4: Purl straight across until you have 7 stitches un-purled. Purl the next two stitches together (one from either side of the “gap”). You should now have 6 stitches left un-purled. Flip the work so that the right side of the heel flap is facing you.

Continue in this manner until all the stitches have been knit off the needle. No matter how many stitches you cast on, when your heel is completely turned, you should have 17 stitches on your needle at the bottom of your heel flap.

Move 9 of these stitches onto another needle. Now there should be 9 are on one needle, and 8 on another. If you have used a contrasting color for the heel, now is the point to switch back to the main color to make the sock foot. Cut your yarn, leaving a two-inch tail and loosely tie the main color to it. You will knit the rest of the foot in the main color.

Skip down to “Pick up stitches along the left side of the heel flap…”

If your heel flap is 35 stitches:
Row 1. Slip one, then knit straight across (knit the seam stitch as a regular stitch) until you have 9 stitches still unknit. Now knit the next two stitches together. There should now be 8 stitches left unknit. Ignore the unknit stitches, and flip the entire sock so that the wrong side of the heel flap is facing you.

Row 2: Purl straight across until you have 9 stitches still unpurled. Now purl the next two stitches together. There should now be 8 stitches left unpurled. Ignore the unpurled stitches, and flip the entire sock back so that the right side of the heel flap is facing you again.

Knit straight across until you have 8 stitches un-knit. Knit the next two stitches together (one from either side of the “gap”). You should now have 7 stitches left unknit. Flip the work so that the wrong side of the heel flap is facing you.

Row 4: Purl straight across until you have 8 stitches unpurled. Purl the next two stitches together (one from either side of the “gap”). You should now have 7 stitches left unpurled. Flip the work so that the right side of the heel flap is facing you.

Skip down to “Pick up stitches along the left side of the heel flap…”

If your heel flap is 37 stitches:
Row 1. Slip one, then knit straight across (knit the seam stitch as a regular stitch) until you have 10 stitches still unknit. Now knit the next two stitches together. There should now be 9 stitches left unknit. Ignore the unknit stitches, and flip the entire sock so that the wrong side of the heel flap is facing you.

Row 2: Purl straight across until you have 10 stitches still unpurled. Now purl the next two stitches together. There should now be 9 stitches left unpurled. Ignore the unpurled stitches, and flip the entire sock back so that the right side of the heel flap is facing you again.

Knit straight across until you have 9 stitches un-knit. Knit the next two stitches together (one from either side of the “gap”). You should now have 8 stitches left unknit. Flip the work so that the wrong side of the heel flap is facing you.

Row 4: Purl straight across until you have 9 stitches unpurled. Purl the next two stitches together (one from either side of the “gap”). You should now have 8 stitches left unpurled. Flip the work so that the right side of the heel flap is facing you.

Pick up stitches along the left side of the heel flap: With the wrong side of the heel flap facing up you are now going to “pick up” stitches along the left side of the heel flap. Look at the edge of the heel flap and see the stitches along the outer edge. Notice that between each row of horizontal stitches, on the edge of the heel flap there is a little “V” stitch that joins each row to the next. Using a spare knitting needle or a crochet hook, insert it from the left underneath that “joiner” stitch between the first two rows, catch a loop of yarn and pull it back out to the outer edge of the heel flap, forming a stitch. Place this on the knitting needle on the left side of your heel flap. Pick up one stitch between each row of the heel flap along up the left hand side of the heel flap, heading toward the needle that has been holding your instep stitches (the stitches that will form the top of the sock foot)..

Knit across all the instep stitches.

Now, stop and count the total number of stitches you picked up down the left hand side of the heel flap, including the 9 heel stitches you started with on that needle(don’t include the instep stitches). You’ll want to pick up the same number of stitches down the right hand side of the heel flap (remembering to also include the stitches at the bottom of the heel on the right hand side).

You’re now ready to start knitting the foot!

Joining the heel to the foot: Stop and look at your needles. Holding the sock so that you’re looking into it, with the instep needles closest to the ceiling and the needles holding the stitches down the side of each heel flap along each side. We’re going to number them again. Needle 1 holds half the stitches that remained after you turned the heel, and all the stitches up the left side of your heel flap. Needles 2 and 3 are holding your instep stitches. Needle 4 holds all the stitches picked up on the right hand side of the heel and half the stitches that remained when you finished turning the heel.

Knit as follows:

Row 1:
Needle 1: Starting with needle number one, knit until you have only three stitches left on the needle, then slip one, knit one, and then reach back with your left needle and pass the slipped stitch over the knit that was knitted, and drop it down over the slipped stitch, and off the needle. Knit the last stitch on that needle.
Needle 2: Knit straight across.
Needle 3: Knit straight across.
Needle 4: Knit the first stitch, slip one, knit one, reach back with your left needle and pass the slipped stitch so that it drops over the knit stitch (and off the needle) and knit all the rest of the stitches on that needle.

Row 2. Knit all stitches on needles 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Row 3: Repeat Row 1.

Continue repeating Rows 1 and 2 until you have the same number of stitches on your needles as you originally cast on (if you are using the original Sanitary Commission’s cast on, this will be 65: 70 or 75). You have now finished the heel and are about to knit the foot.

Knitting the Foot: First we’re going to plan this -- your foot is going to be made 2 ½ inches shorter than you want the finished sock to be. If you are making and of the sizes that were given in the original Sanitary Commission directions, this means that you will start shaping the toe when your sock is 7 ½, 8 ½ or 9 ½ inches long. If you are making a different sized foot, subtract 2 ½ inches from the finished length.

Toe: Once your sock foot is long enough that you only need 2 ½ inches more knitting to have it be the exact length of the wearer’s foot, it is time to make the toe. If you are making the toes of a contrasting color, now is the time to switch yarn (again remembering to leave a 2 inch tail on each color for weaving in afterward).

The toe for this sock is an extremely common way to make 19th century sock toes -- Nancy Bush in Folk Socks refers to this toe as the “Round Toe.”

Row 1: Knit 6 stitches, then slip one stitch, knit one stitch, reach back with your left needle and pass the slipped stitch over the knit that was knitted, drop it down over the slipped stitch, and off the needle. Knit 6 more stitches, then slip one stitch, knit one stitch, reach back with your left needle and pass the slipped stitch over the knit that was knitted, drop it down over the slipped stitch, and off the needle. Repeat this the entire row. If there are odd stitches left at the end, knit the remaining stitches on that row plain.

Row 2-7: Knit six rows plain.

Row 8: Knit 5 stitches, then slip one stitch, knit one stitch, reach back with your left needle and pass the slipped stitch over the knit that was knitted, drop it down over the slipped stitch, and off the needle. Repeat this the entire row. If there are odd stitches left at the end, knit them plain..

Row 9-13: Knit five rows plain.

Row 14: Knit 4 stitches, then slip one stitch, knit one stitch, reach back with your left needle and pass the slipped stitch over the knit that was knitted, drop it down over the slipped stitch, and off the needle. Repeat this the entire row. If there are stitches left at the end, knit them plain.

Row 15 – 18: Knit four rows plain.

Row 19: Knit 3 stitches, then slip one stitch, knit one stitch, reach back with your left needle and pass the slipped stitch over the knit that was knitted, drop it down over the slipped stitch, and off the needle. Repeat this the entire row. If there are stitches left at the end, knit them plain.

Row 20 – 22: Knit three rows plain

Row 23: Knit 2 stitches, then slip one stitch, knit one stitch, reach back with your left needle and pass the slipped stitch over the knit that was knitted, drop it down over the slipped stitch, and off the needle. Repeat this the entire row. If there are stitches left at the end, knit them plain.

Row 24 - 25: Knit two rows plain.

Row 26: Knit 1, then slip one stitch, knit one stitch, reach back with your left needle and pass the slipped stitch over the knit that was knitted, drop it down over the slipped stitch, and off the needle. Repeat this the entire row. If there is one stitch left at the end, knit it plain.

Row 27: Knit this row plain.

Row 28: Knit two together, over and over again until you’ve finished that row.

Break off your yarn with a tail of about 3 inches. Thread it through a darning needle and run this yarn through all the remaining stitches, drawing them up tight into a little circle. Weave the yarn in and out of the stitches in the area to secure it, then poke it carefully through the center of the circle, just until the needle is inside the sock.. Carefully turn the sock inside out, and weave the end of the yarn in the darning needle into the inside of some of the inside stitches, then cut it off.

Finishing: Look through your sock for any little bows or loose knots where you changed colors. Untie these, and thread the remaining “tails” through your darning needle, then weave the ends into the inside of your sock, being careful not to go through the sock, or leave a spot of contrasting color on the right side of your sock. Once you’ve woven the ends in, cut the extra off each tail so that you can’t tell where the tail was.

“To Run the Heels and Toes:” In the original pattern the last step is to “run heels and toes.” “Running a heel” is a 19th century term for a way of reinforcing the heels and toes of a sock. The knitter would take a darning needle, thread it with extra sock yarn, and then use a “running” stitch all over the inside surface of the bottom of the toe, and the bottom and sides of the heel. Don’t make a knot at the end of your “running yarn.” Don’t go all the way through the sock – just shallowly dip the needle down so that it slides under the surface of the inside of the sock. You can take fairly large “running stitches” and just go back and forth inside first the heel and then the toe. To make sure that you don’t accidentally sew the sock closed, it’s a good idea to insert a darning egg, a light bulb or a potato inside the sock to help hold it open.

Congratulations! You’ve made a sock!

Find a mistake? Was something confusing? Let us know and we will revise the pattern and publicly thank you for helping to make it better. Send a note with your comments or corrections to me at ktimour@aol.com.